Lamp bulb socket having means to secure the same in a perforated panel



March 22, 1955 R. M. HELLER LAMP BULB SOCKET HAVING MEANS TO SECURE THE SAME IN A PERFORATED PANEL 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed July 12, 1954 E a v S V. m R m v 0E m m m M h w W a W H A 1 M y m \\-\\-\-\-\\-d d E k n f AK March 1955 R. M. HELLER 2,70 ,834

LAMP BULB SOCKET HAVING MEANS TO SECURE THE SAME IN A PERFORATED PANEL Filed July 12, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RQ BERT M.HELLER ATTOR NEYS United States Patent LAMP BULB SOCKET HAVING MEANS TO SECURE THE SAME IN A PERFORATED PANEL Robert M. Heller, Birmingham, Mich.

Application July 12, 1954, Serial No. 442,718

7 Claims. (Cl. 339-128) The present invention relates to a bulb socket, and more particularly to a socket designed for mounting a light bulb in an aperture in a panel in a motor vehicle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a light bulb socket including a socket element composed of a single piece of sheet metal effective to facilitate insertion of a light bulb therein, and cooperable with a panel opening to effect firm support of the light bulb in the socket and firm attachment of the socket in the panel opening.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a one-piece socket element having a generally cylindrical portion composed of a plurality of longitudinally extending transversely curved arms, an opposed pair of such arms having longitudinally extending channels therein for receiving diametrically opposed pins of a light bulb, pin receiving pockets located rearwardly from said channels, said pockets having rearwardly facing shoulders at the front side thereof to retain the pins of a light bulb therein, the forward ends of said arms including camming and latching surfaces engageable with the edges of an opening in a panel whereby said arms are pressed inwardly when the socket is mounted in the panel and the bottom walls of the pockets are pressed firmly against the ends of the pins.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a light bulb of the character described which includes a resilient covering extending rearwardly from the portion of the bulb engageable in the panel opening to seal off and close the openings between the arms making up the cylindrical portion of the socket.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the improved socket member.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the socket member shown in Figure 1, partly in section.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section on the line 44, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section on the line 5-5, Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section on the line 6-6, Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section on the line 7-7, Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary section on the line 88, Figure 4.

The bulb socket as best illustrated in Figure 2, comprises a socket member 10 having a cylindrical portion 12 the rear end of which is provided with an opening 14 for the reception of an electrical conductor indicated at 16. Seated within the rear end of the cylindrical portion 12 of the socket member is a compression spring 18 which bears against the rear side of an insulating disc 20 having a contact button 22 thereon electrically connected to the conductor 16. The socket is designed for use with a light bulb as indicated in dot and dash lines at 24, having a base 26 provided with a contact 28 engageable with the contact button 22 and having a pair of diametrically oppositely extending pins 30. The light bulb is designed for coaction with a mounting panel 32 having an opening 34 therein in which the socket is mounted.

One of the problems to be overcome in sockets of this type is to insure firm mounting of the socket in the panel and firm connection of the bulb in the socket. This is accomplished in the present instance by a particular construction of means associated with the socket member for coaction with the mounting pins 30 of the light bulb.

The present socket member is designed for production from flat sheet stock and for this purpose the flat sheet stock may be stamped out into generally cruciform construction including a plurality of radially extending arms such for example as the four shown in the present instance. These arms will be appropriately shaped to produce the illustrated construction. As a result of this process of manufacture the elongated cylindrical portion 12 of the bulb socket and the mounting portions at the forward end thereof in effect comprise a plurality of transversely curved longitudinally extending arms which extend from a point closely adjacent to the rear end of the socket all the way to the front end thereof. By forming these arms to extend from a point closely adjacent to the rear end, the final shaping operation of the sheet metal includes only a shallow draw of the portion of the metal forming the rear end of the socket. The material from which the socket is formed is somewhat resilient, but the length of the arms resulting from the construction above described is such that the effectiveness of the resiliency of the arms in mounting the socket in the opening of the panel is somewhat reduced.

The mounting of the socket in the panel 32 is accomplished by the provision of forwardly and inwardly inclined camming portions 36 at the forward end of each arm and rearwardly and inwardly inclined mounting portions 38, the portions 36 and 38 intersecting in an annular zone 40. As the socket is moved forwardly through the opening 34 to the position shown in Figure 2, the camming portions 36 of the arms engage the edge surfaces of the aperture 34 and cam the arms inwardly. When the annular zone 40 has passed through the opening, the arms are permitted to spring radially outwardly. Further movement of the socket to the left from the position shown in Figure 2, is prevented by a doubled flange portion 42 provided in the arms which together form a segmental circular flange adapted to abut against the outer surface of the panel 32 in the manner illustrated. The socket is thereby retained in the opening with the flange 42 engaging one side of the panel and the inclined portion 38 of the arms engaging the opposite side of the panel or the opposite side of the corner of the opening through the panel.

In order to retain the facility of manufacturing resulting from fabrication from flat stock and shaping to the required form with a minimum of drawing, while at the same time obtaining a firm resilient mounting of the socket in the panel opening 34, a special construction of bulb mounting is provided.

A pair of opposed arms such for example as the arms designated at 44 and 46, are modified for coaction with the pins 30 of the base 26 of the bulb 24. The material of the arms 44 and 46 is severed along a line 50, as best illustrated in Figure 2. Rearwardly and inwardly inclined pin receiving guide channels 52 are provided which extend from the flanges 42 rearwardly to the slits 50. Rearwardly of the slit 50 the material of the arms 44 and 46 is formed outwardly to provide bulb receiving pockets 54. As best seen in Figure 4, the forward sides of the bulb receiving pockets 54 include abrupt abutment surfaces 56 which are formed by the rear edge of the channels 52. The construction of the channels 52 and bulb receiving pockets 54 is best seen from the successive sections of Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8. In these figures it will be observed that the channels 52 incline gradually but are provided throughout their length with relatively parallel side wall portions 58.

The bulb receiving pockets 54 on the other hand are relatively wider, as seen also in Figure 2, and are provided with gradually inclined side wall portions 60 which permit removal of a bulb by rotation thereof, its pins 30 acting against the inclined surfaces 60 of the pockets 54 to cam the corresponding arms outwardly.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that with the socket removed from the panel 32, a bulb may be pressed rearwardly into the socket, its pins 30 actrng against the bottom walls of the guide channels 52 to cam the arms 44 and 46 outwardly until the ends of the pins pass the end surfaces 56 at the rear ends of the guide channels. At this time the pins 30 enter the pockets 54 in the relationship illustrated in Figure 4. Withdrawal of the light bulb is etfectively prevented by engagement between the pins 30 and the end or abutment surfaces 56. However, the end surfaces of the pins 30 may or may not be in firm contact with the bottom walls of the pockets 54. When the socket is now pressed forwardly through the opening 34 in the panel 32, all of the arms thereof including the arms 44 and 46, are cammed inwardly. The depth of the pockets 54 is such that the inward camming movement of the arms 44 and 46 presses the arms inwardly until the bottom walls of the pockets 54 are in firm contact with the ends of the pins 30, and so that additional inward camming movement of the free ends of the arms causes bending of these arms about fulcrums established by the ends of the pins 30. Thus, the arms 44 and 46 engage the surfaces of the opening 34 of the panel with considerable force and effect a firm secure mounting of the socket in the panel which strongly resists accidental displacement therefrom and which prevents rattling of the assembly. The same operation effects a firm tight engagement between the ends of the pins of the base of the bulb and the bottom walls of the pockets 54. This has the effect of establishing an excellent electrical contact for the bulb and also provides a very firm secure mounting of the bulb in position so that the electrical connection cannot be broken by vibration or otherwise.

Since the construction just described results in the formation of elongated slots extending substantially the full length of the cylindrical portion 12 of the socket, it is essential to provide a covering for the rear portion of the socket to prevent entry of water, dust, dirt, or the like, into the interior of the socket. This result is most The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved bulb socket in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A socket for receiving a bulb of the type having a base provided with a pair of diametrically opposed radially projecting pins and for mounting said bulb in an opening in a panel, said socket comprising a generally cylindrical portion composed of a plurality of transversely curved arms extending forwardly from adjacent the rear end of said socket and spaced circumferentially from each other, the forward ends of said arms having radially outwardly extending flanges adapted to abut one side of a mounting panel surrounding an opening therein, the portions of said arms forwardly of said flanges being inclined outwardly and thence inwardly to extend through the panel opening and resiliently engage therein, an opposed pair of said arms having rearwardly and inwardly inclined inwardly facing channels therein to receive the pins of a bulb, said pair of arms being yieldable outwardly as the pins are forced rearwardly of the socket in said channels,

' said pair of arms rearwardly of said channels having ininner ends of said channels and the bottom Walls of said effectively achieved by dipping the socket member after it has been formed to the shape illustrated in a suitable liquid plastic material such for example as polyvinyl chloride which produces a flexible elastic coating or covering for the socket. Portions of this cover are illustrated in Figure 2 at 64. Preferably, the covering includes a rearwardly extending portion 66 adapted to engage sealingly with the rearwardly extending electrical conductor 16. It will also be observed that at its forward edge the cover 64 includes a lip or flange 68 engageable with the rear surface of the panel 32. Accordingly, the

entire surface of the socket which is exposed exteriorly of the panel 32 is effectively sealed to prevent entry of foreign material into the socket.

It is desired to emphasize that the present construction is characterized by the economy and simplicity with which the socket member may be produced. This is due to the fact that the socket member may'be stamped from flat sheet material and formed to the required shape by simple operations including only a shallow draw to produce the shallow cup at its rear end. This simplification of construction results in the formation of relatively long transversely curved arms extending substantially from the rear end of the socket to the front thereof, so that the resilient force with which the forward end portions of the arms oppose inward compression is reduced. However, by the provision of the particular mounting means for the bulb socket, the pins on the base of the bulb constitute abutments for an opposed pair of the arms and thus serve the dual function of producing relatively greater elastic forces mounting the socket in the opening in the panel, and at the same time insuring a tight firm mounting of the bulb in the socket and excellent electrical contact between the pins on the base of the bulb and the walls of the socket. The construction is rendered practical by the provision of an elastic or resilient sealing coating which completely seals the slots between the arms of the socket member.

pockets to provide said shoulders.

3. A socket as defined in claim 1 in which said pockets are of such depth that when said socket is mounted in the aperture in the panel the bottom walls of said pockets 1 are pressed against the ends of the pins on a bulb mounted therein.

4. A socket as defined in claim 1 in which the side walls of said pockets are inclined to provide for removal of a bulb therefrom by rotation of the bulb.

5. A socket as defined in claim 1 in which said pockets are located substantially forwardly from the rear ends of said arms to cause the bulb pins to form fulcrums for flexing of said opposed pair of arms upon insertion of the socket into the aperture in the panel.

6. A'socket as defined in claim 1 which comprises a resilient protective cover over the portion of the bulb rearwardly from the outer edges of said flanges to seal the spaces between said arms against admission of dust and the like.

7. A socket for receiving a bulb of the type having a base provided with a pair of diametrically opposed radially projecting pins and for mounting said bulb in an opening in a panel, said socket comprising a generally cylindrical portion composed of a plurality of transversely curved arms extending forwardly from adjacent the rear end of said socket and spaced circumferentially from each other, said arms having at their forward ends means engageable in the panel opening upon radial inward movement, an opposed pair of said arms including lonto guide the pins of a bulb moved rearwardly into said socket, means on said arms located substantially forwardly from the rear ends of said arms engageable by the pins of a bulb to locate the bulb in a predetermined position and to position the bulb pins to form fulcrums about which said arms bend as the opening-engaging means at the forward end of said arms moves radially inwardly to engage the opening in the panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,248,399 Watts July 8, 1941 2,606,227 Clayton Aug. 5, 1952 2,664,548 Hall Dec. 29, 1953 2,668,281 Clayton et al. Feb. 2, 1954 

